Marshall University joins colleges and universities across the country to #CelebrateFirstGen students on November 8th each year with a week-long schedule of activities and events.
First-Generation College Celebration (FGCC) is an annual opportunity to raise awareness of the first-generation college student identity by advancing an asset-based, national narrative of these students’ experiences and outcomes.
Since the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) and the Center for First-generation Student Success launched the inaugural celebration in 2017, hundreds of higher education institutions, corporations, non-profits, and K-12 schools have joined together in recognizing the achievements of the first-gen community.
FGCC is celebrated annually on November 8 to commemorate the signing of the Higher Education Act (“HEA”) of 1965 by then-President Lyndon B. Johnson. This act created federal financial aid programs to fund students’ educations and made key investments in colleges and universities. Many of the HEA’s programs, particularly the Federal TRIO programs, promote postsecondary access, retention, and completion for today’s limited-income, first-generation college students.
To better serve first-generation students at Marshall, a campus-wide committee was created. The committee works with departments across campus to support first-gen students and to plan the annual first-gen celebration that takes place each November.
Marshall University First-Generation Committee Members:
Bonnie Bailey, Student Support Services, TRIO Program
Caylin France, Student Support Services
Marcie Simms, Student Affairs
Holly Cyphert, College of Science
Jake Hamilton, Student Support Services
Zach Jenkins, Heart of Appalachia Talent Search (HATS) TRIO Program
Eugene Lacy, Upward Bound TRIO Program
Robyn Stafford, University College
Cris McDavid, Office of Career Education
Tiffany Davis, University Marketing and Communications
In addition to our first-gen committee, Marshall has numerous faculty and staff who were also first-generation students. Check out our first-gen directory below to learn more.
